Child Protection Officer (Children On the Move), NO-1, Mexico City, Mexico (Temp Appointment) (Mexicans nationals only)

Contract

This is a NO-1 contract. This kind of contract is known as National Professional Officers. It is normally only for nationals. It's a staff contract. More about NO-1 contracts.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, protection

UNICEF is supporting state and local authorities in Mexico for the rapid identification, registration and care of unaccompanied and separated children and adolescents who have entered the country or are moving through Mexico at both the northern and southern borders. UNICEF is providing technical assistance to child protection authorities to implement standard procedures and case management. UNICEF is also supporting the implementation of alternative care options for short and long-term solutions. UNICEF is also a key actor in providing mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) to children on the move, and their families, currently housed in different shelters across the country, through recreational and sports activities with support from implementing partners.

Join UNICEF Mexico as the Child Protection Officer and contribute through the Protection Programme to scale up the efforts in the response to the Children on the Move (CoM) team.

How can you make a difference?

Under the direct supervision of the Child Protection Officer (NO-2), the Child Protection Officer (Children on the Move) supports the section in developing, implementing, and monitoring the activities of the office's response to migration and children on the move.

1.- Support to programme development and planning

Regarding UNICEF Mexico´s work on the protection of children on the move:

• Lead the development and implementation of UNICEF´s strategy on the strengthening of child protection authorities in migratory contexts in coordination with the child protection officer working on child protection system strengthening under the violence prevention output.
• Lead the development of a strategy to adjust and expand UNICEF´s strategy on children on the move to internally displaced children.
• Support the provision of legal representation services to children on the move.
• Prepare technical reports and inputs for programme preparation and documentation, ensuring accuracy, timeliness and relevancy of information.
• Facilitate the development and establishment of sectoral programme goals, objectives, strategies, and results-based planning through research, collection, analysis and reporting of child protection programmes and other related information for development planning and priority and goal setting.
• Provide technical and administrative support throughout all stages of programmeming processes by executing and administering a variety of technical programme transactions, preparing materials and documentations, and complying with organizational processes and management systems, to support programme planning, results based planning (RBM) and monitoring and evaluation of results.
• Prepare required documentation and materials to facilitate the programme review and approval process.

2.- Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results.

Regarding UNICEF Mexico´s work on the protection of children on the move:

• Lead programme implementation regarding emergency response to internal displacement, and capacity strengthening of child protection authorities. Support the provision of legal representations services to children on the move.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual sectoral reviews with the government and other counterparts, and prepare minutes/reports on results for follow-up action by higher management and other stakeholders.
• Monitor and report on the use of sectoral programme resources (financial, administrative and other assets), verifying compliance with approved allocation, goals, organizational rules, regulations, procedures, donor commitments, and standards of accountability and integrity.
• Report on issues identified to ensure timely resolution by management and stakeholders. Follow up on unresolved issues to ensure resolution.

3.- Technical and operational support to programme implementation

• Provide technical support in regard to emergency response to internal displacement, and capacity strengthening of child protection authorities to counterparts, partners and field offices.
• Undertake field visits and surveys, and collect and share reports with partners and stakeholders.
• Assess progress and provide technical support and/or refer to relevant officials for resolution.
• Report on critical issues, bottlenecks and potential problems for timely action to achieve results.
• Provide technical and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and other country office partners/donors on the application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes and best practices in child protection, to support programme implementation.

4.- Networking and partnership building

• Build and sustain close working partnerships with government counterparts and national stakeholders through active sharing of information and knowledge to facilitate programme implementation and build the capacity of stakeholders to achieve and sustain results on child protection in regard to emergency response to internal displacement and capacity strengthening of child protection authorities in migratory contexts.

• Participate in inter-agency meetings/events on programming to collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues on migration including in the UN migration interagency subgroup on child protection and UN subgroup on internal displacement. .

• Research information on potential donors and prepare resource mobilization materials and briefs for fundraising and partnership development purposes.
• Draft communication and information materials for CO programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships/alliances and support fundraising for child protection programmes.

5.- Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

Regarding UNICEF Mexico´s work on the protection of children on the move:

• Identify, capture, synthesize, and share lessons learned for knowledge development and to build the capacity of stakeholders.

• Apply innovative approaches and promote good practices to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable programme results.

• Research, benchmark and report on best and cutting edge practices for development planning of knowledge products and systems.

• Participate as a resource person in capacity-building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients and stakeholders.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

The following required education, experience, and languages:

• A university degree (Bachelor's Degree), preferably in one of the following fields is required: international development, human rights, psychology, sociology, international law, or another relevant social science field.
• A minimum of one year of professional experience in social development planning and management in child-protection-related areas.
• Fluency in Spanish.
• A proficient level in English, although fluency is preferred. If the person hired is not fluent, he/she will have to commit to improving their English skills in the first six months of work.

Additionally, you may have the following experience, but please note that it is not mandatory, it is rather an asset:

• Experience in the fields of programming on child protection and migration and/or asylum processes.
• Experience working with UN agencies.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability (CRITA) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: https://uni.cf/UNICEFValues

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others.

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: https://www.unicef.org/careers/media/1041/file/UNICEF%27s_Competency_Framework.pdf

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to including everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to delivering the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

This Vacancy Announcement is open to all (internal and external candidates) but Mexican nationality or citizenship is required.